Dear Avengers
by Andrewthegreat1
Summary: When each of the Avengers receives fanmail from little children, and how it affects them. Fluff and cuteness ensue! Bad summary, but give it a go.
1. Steve

** I know, I know, I shouldn't be starting new story, but I just had to write this down. It popped into my head while trying to fall asleep. Weird. So, here goes nothing. **

** Disclaimer- not mine, yada yada, yada….**

** Chapter 1- Steve **

Steve was exhausted. A whole day in the gym, and he was tired. It had been a week after the Avengers had saved New York from the Chitauri, and yet, they all had to stay in shape. Creatures from outer space might attack the world, _again_.

Steve got out of the large shower Stark had built for him while they stayed in Avengers Tower (Tony insisted it was still Stark tower, with twelve percent of Pottsness.) Meanwhile, Steve was still having trouble getting the hang of technology, along with Thor. Normal 2012 tech was confusing, but of course, Tony had all the newest technology in the world installed in his tower, so Steve was simply lost. Bruce would always help Steve or Thor, while Tony would smirk. 2012 was a lot different than the 1940s.

He sat down at his desk to sketch a little, when an envelope caught his eye. It was sitting in the corner of his desk, addressed to Captain America from Germany. He opened it, and a photo fell out of some young boys standing together smiling, some waving. A small star pins also fell out. The paper was a letter.

_ Dear Captain America, _

_ My name is Hugo, and I am ten years old. I used to live in America, and you were my favorite super hero. To me, all Americans should be like you, brave and strong. Sadly, we had to move to Germany for papa's work. All the boys at school make fun of me for liking you, probably because you kicked their butts in WW2. They just feel bad that Germany doesn't have their own cool super hero. Even my teachers think it's silly for me to live here and to still like Captain America. Then they heard about how you saved those Germans from Loki at that giant party, and they thought you weren't as bad as they had imagined. And then, on the television, there was a news report of the Avengers saving New York. And you were there with your big shield, saving the day. The other kids at school saw this, and they saw why I liked you so much. They thought it was awesome. And now we are all big Captain America fans in a club. _

_ In the picture, I am the one with the cardboard shield in the middle. The others are the boys at school. The two twins are Viktor and Oskar. The one with the mask is Felix, and next to him is Simon. The tall one is Jonas, and the one on the end is Wenzel. We all started a club, and we play where there are a couple of Hydra, and we all take turns being you as we destroy the others with the strong punches and amazing shield. Maybe some day you could come visit Germany, and we could all be Hydra, and you could be you. Well, as long as you don't pretend-hit us too hard. Unless you want to be an evil stinky red Hydra. Will you visit us someday, maybe tomorrow? Or next week? _

_ I wish you were here to play with us, but I know you have duty in America. It's okay, but when evil threatens the world, I'll be watching the news so that I can see you in action. I don't know whether or not you believe in God and Jesus, but every night I pray to them that you will be safe. That's what the pin is, kind of a safe token. It's an American star. It was my good luck charm, but I figured you needed it more than I do. I won't be saving the world anytime soon, but you never know. Thank you for saving the world, that comes from my friends and me. Good Luck, and thank you. _

_ Sincerely, Hugo Rhodes_

Steve finished reading the letter, a smile etched on his face. He taped the photo of the young, smiling boys to his wall, and pinned the small silver star onto his shirt. It felt kind of strange to have a ton of little German boys liking him, not that he minded. He looked back at the small blonde boy with the cardboard shield, face covered with dirt and a huge smile. That smile could probably light up the whole world. Steve pulled out some paper and a pencil, found the address on the envelope, and began to write. He didn't care if SHIELD yelled at him for responding; he couldn't help it.

_Dear Hugo…_

** Good? Bad? Let me know! All of the avengers will receive a letter.**


	2. Natasha

** Thank you to everyone who followed, alerted, reviewed. It makes me all happy. So, without further ado, chapter 2!**  
** Disclaimer- The Avengers are not mine no matter how much I wish they were. *Sob***  
** Chapter 2- Natasha**

It was a rare sight to see Natasha doing anything a normal person would do. And yet, the assassin was sitting up on her bed with a cup of coffee, flipping through the channels on the TV in her large room. She was sick.

_ Why am I sick, I'm never sick?! I'm a major assassin, and yet right now I feel useless because of a stupid cold. I'm supposed to be ready at all moments!_ She thought to herself. She couldn't even get out of bed; she felt terrible and lazy. For goodness sake, if someone was to attack her right now, she would be dead within a minute, at most.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Come in," she said, hoping it wasn't Tony. Tony was a pain up the butt when he wanted to be, and even if he didn't try to be, he still was.

Clint walked in, making her give a weak smile. They shared a special relationship; it wasn't really love, but something beyond words. They had worked alongside each other for so many years; they could tell how they each were feeling, just from looking at them or reading the other's body always had each other's back. Natasha had convinced herself love was for children, but maybe that wasn't true. Clint just made her feel special, but if it was love, she wasn't sure.

"Heard you were feeling crummy."

"Yeah, you might want to leave unless you want to get..." Her voice cracked, and she started to cough uncontrollably. Clint slipped off his shoes, put something that looked like an envelope on her bedside table that was covered with tissues, and sat on the bed, rubbing small circles on her back. She shivered at his touch. It felt amazing the way his hands felt, calloused from plucking the string of a bow. He got closer to her, and wrapped an arm around her, as she leaned into him, placed her head into the crook of his neck. Maybe she was a child, and maybe she wanted to be in love.

_ Listen to yourself; you don't want to be in a relationship. It's the cold, it's obviously making you thing different. That's it; it's the cold._

He was so warm. Natasha decided she could stay like this forever. She leaned in closer to him; surprised he wanted to be around a sick person.

"God Nat, you're really hot." Even though he said this, he didn't pull away.

"Yeah, but you're really warm, I'm freezing to death."

After the most amazing moments filled with silence (which both of them secretly wished had lasted longer), there was a shout.

**"Barton!"** Came Tony's voice from down the hall.

Clint scrambled up, wishing he could have stayed with Nat forever. "That would be the booby traps, he probably got stuck in one. Anyways, that, on your table, was a letter received in the mail for you. No clue what it is, but that robot Tony has scans mail for bombs and danger and stuff, so it's most likely safe. Better go before Stark kills me. Hope you feel better." And with that, he left.

The assassin picked up the envelope, a bit curious. The address was written in neon pink, and in handwriting that was obviously that of a young child's. She opened it, as a slip of paper fell out.

_ Dear Black Widow,_

_ I am 7. Oh wait, I forgot to tell you my name. I am Amber. I like pink and live in Virginia. I go gymnastics, and I am a level 6. My coach says that's very good, because on my team I am the youngest, the others are 11 years old. On the news, I watched you, and it was amazing! You do all of the coolest flips; you must be like a level 1 million gymnastics person, if you did take gymnastics. It was really cool, because after you would do a cool trick, you would shoot somebody. I asked my mommy if I could have guns like you do to use in my gym, but she said no. She's a big party pooper. _

_ The good news is that my coach, Mr. Valtress, said that if I do really good, he will buy me some pretend guns to play with. I wish they could be real like yours are, but like mommy, he said no. Maybe you could write a letter to tell my mommy why I should get real cool ones. It's okay if you don't though, I'll still like you. I mean, I will always like you, you saved the word, and with style. You know, you're really preety, I mean pretty, but your suit should be bright pink. But you don't have to, just an idea. _

_ Anyway, I'm waiting for bad things to happen again so that I can watch you on TV. I'm gonna be you for Halloween, because no one else probably will. I wanted a really cool tight suit like yours, but mommy said for me to wear a black leotard with sweat pants. I hope that doesn't hurt your feelings. Thank you for saving the world. Because if you didn't, Tootise, my dog, would be dead, and I don't want that to happen. So thank you. You are my hero!_

_ Love Amber who's seven._

For once in her life, the assassin's heart had melted from the work of a child. What a cute kid. A pink cat suit was a little out of the question, but the idea made her laugh. Maybe on her next saving-the-world, she would paint her nails bright pink, just maybe.

** So, how was it? Let me know, 'cause I'll update quicker if you do.** **Sorry so short.**


	3. Tony

** Thanks for reading; you guys have given he support I never had. BTW- All of the children I'm writing about are based off of someone that I now, most likely one of my many younger cousins. Don't know if you wanted to know that, just thought I'd throw that in there. This chapter is dedicated to those injured or killed in the James Holmes shooting. **

** Disclaimer- Marvel owns the awesomeness called the Avengers. **

** Chapter 3- Tony**

Tony, smelling burnt, walked into his room, a glass of scotch in hand. Today he and Bruce had spent all day in the lab, accidentally- on- purpose blowing things up. He liked Bruce; he could actually talk to him normally without feeling stupid. Banner was a pure genius. Sure, Tony called himself one, but Bruce outdid him by a mile. Bruce acted like he didn't, though, by using that calm, shy, and awkwardness all at once that made Bruce, well, Bruce. What most people didn't know was that Tony's inflated ego was not only him, but also a disguise to hide his insecurities behind. Bruce already knew that though. God, Banner could know almost everything about a person my glancing at them, while no one knew anything about Bruce no matter how long they knew him.

Tony downed the rest of his scotch, then, forgetting why he was in his room in the first place, headed down to Pepper's office. He stood outside her glass door, watching her on the phone. She was so beautiful, even when she was on the phone with whomever.

_ How did I end up so lucky?_ Tony thought, then, fixing his hair, walked through the door. He sat in the chair in front of her desk, and after a couple of minutes, she hung up the phone. Remembering this situation happening not to long ago, Pepper decided to talk first.

"Tony, if you are here to tell me you are slowly dying, I will kill you before you get the chance."

"What, no. I am bored. Like, mega bored. And maybe a tiny bit drunk, just a little bit. So, um, yeah."

"Well, that's perfect, because you have a letter to read. More fan mail. So go up to your room, sit on your bed, and read this, because I'm a bit busy trying to run my twelve percent of the company." She handed him an envelope, and shooed him away.

"You're never going to let that one go are you?" Tony asked walking out the door.

"Nope, never."

Tony took the elevator to his room, and sat on the bed, envelope in hand. Tony had gotten way too much fan mail after saving the world from teenage girls wanting to marry him.

_ If this is from some little person trying to marry me, I am going to blow._

He opened the letter, and pulled out two papers. One had a very intricate sketch of Ironman on it, the other writing.

_ Dear Ironman, _

_ My name is Zack. I am eight and live in Colorado. Recently there was a shooting here, and people were killed. I was shot in the back. The doctors said it was the bottom of my spine. It hurts. The weird thing is, I can't feel my legs. I can't feel anything under my waist. Dad says I might never walk again. I have to be in a wheelchair; it stinks. I have to go through a lot of operations and needles and knives and yucky medicine. I am brave though, because I remember you. I am brave because you probably had to go through a lot of operations and needles and knives and yucky medicine when you got your Arc Reactor. You probably went through more than I did. Through your pain, you changed the world of science and medicine. So maybe if I stay brave like you, someday I can change the world. _

_ I watched you when you and the other Avengers saved New York. It was sooo cool. I loved the way you used the repulser beams. You saved the world! I wish I could save the world. Maybe someday I can make a suit like yours so that if I can't walk, I could fly. That would be cool. The picture is a drawing of the ironman suit you wore when saving the world. I hope I captured it right. My dad says I have a talent for art. You know, my whole hospital room is covered with posters of you. In school, we have to make a poster and projct on someone we admire, and I'm going to make mine on you. I hope you don't mind. Even though the world calls you arrogant, you will always be my hero. You are a hero, and are worth more than most people think. Goodness, you can go save New York with a split second heads-up, who else can do that? Maybe if you meet James Homles, you can tell him what I think of him. I would write more, but I have to go to the operation room now. Thank you for proving the world wrong about you, and for saving it. The doctors are calling me now. Wish me luck._

_ Thanks, Zack Derall_

Tony was crying. Not sobbing, but he was drunk enough to let tears slip down his face. He could only remember how terrible his operation with the Arc Reactor and the car battery was, in the middle of a cave.

"JARVIS, lock the door and turn off the lights. Only allow Bruce or Pep in, no one else."

"Of course sir." The British AI replied, following the commands.

Tony collapsed in bed.

"Oh, and JARVIS?"

"Sir?"

"Find Zach Derall in Colorado. Find out which hospital and room he's in. Tomorrow, cancel all meetings; we're going to Colorado. Call the hospital and tell them Tony Stark wants to visit Zach, and to cancel all his operations for that day unless fatal. In fact, call them now."

"Certainly."

Tony fell asleep then and there, dreaming of Colorado, and a smiling kid in a wheelchair.

** Sorry if this was angsty and stuff, but I couldn't help it. For everyone in that theater that terrible night. Please review!**


	4. Thor

** Hey guys, thanks for reading and reviewing. Bad news, I might not be updating very quickly because school is about to start for me, so yeah. Also, if you want someone to write a letter to someone not an exclusive avenger ex- Nick fury, Loki, ect., please tell me in a review. Thanks!**

** Disclaimer- I only own the children, if I owned the Avengers, I would be way to busy to write this.**

** Chapter 4- Thor**

Thor was hungry, very hungry. He was searching through Stark's large cupboards to find pop tarts, his favorite Midgardian snack.

"Where are the Tarts of Pop?" Thor asked loudy, his large voice booming through the residence.

"It appears we are out of pop tarts sir," JARVIS replied, making Thor jump. Thor did not understand all of the 'technology' here on Midgard. Last week he had challenged JARVIS to a duel, until Bruce explained that JARVIS did not have a physical being to fight. The design still confused Thor, but he wasn't alone. Steve was also very confused, so together they worked on understanding technology.

Thor decided to eat 'lunchmeat' instead. He did not understand why it had such a name because it could be eaten at anytime. The appearance of the meat also baffled Thor, as on Asgard, their meat was an animal, not parts cut up into thin slices. Shoveling the food into his mouth, Thor decided that he would go back to his room. Steve was training, Clint was checking on a sick Natasha, again, while Bruce and Tony were in the lab doing sciencey stuff.

When he walked into his room, Thor felt serenity as he started at his wall. Friend Tony had Thor's walls intricately painted with Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life that connected all of the realms and solar systems. There was also the Bifrost, and all of the stars. Parts were painted golden like Asgard, so he felt like he was back at home. Every once in a while he would visit, but he had to remain on Earth for most of his time in case the small world was threatened. He yearned for Asgard, but his room made him feel more at home. As he collapsed onto his bed to stare at his painted ceiling, he noticed a folded piece of paper on his pillow with his name on it. It was a letter. At Asgard, there was no writing of messages; people would announce what was needed to be said in person. Trying not to rip the fragile paper, he opened it, and began to read.

_ Greetings Thor Odinson, God of Thunder,_

_ I am nine-year-old Alex Raffex, son of Jack. Is that how your people talk to each other? It sounds so fancy. How can you talk like that your whole life? Anyway, I wanted to thank you for saving the world. It seems so rude to me how many people you have saved, and how little actually take the time to thank you. It was very kind of you to save a world that wasn't your own, how thoughtful. You are really strong. Do you eat all your veggies at dinner? Or do you drink all of your milk? My mother told me that was the best way to build big strong Thor muscles. I didn't believe her, so I went downstairs to my father's basement where the weights are, and tried to lift them. I was lifting the second smallest one when I dropped it, and it fell on my toe; I broke it. It really hurts. _

_ Have you ever lifted a weight and dropped it on your toe? Again, mother told me that's why I should eat my veggies and drink my milk. I hate veggies. When I grow up, I want to be a hero like you, but if that doesn't happen, I want to be the first astronaut to visit Asgard, where you live. Is it allowed for humans to visit Asgard? My father said that it probably isn't, and that we should stay in our world and you should stay in yours. Don't listen to him though, if you stayed in your world, ours would be destroyed by now. I think he's just scared. In a book I read, it said people don't like what they don't know. They are afraid because they don't know about it. I'm not afraid of someone who saved us, that's just silly. We adopted a little blonde kitty, and I named it Thor after you. _

_ Next Monday is my birthday, and if you did end up reading this, I was wondering something. I was thinking, that maybe, if you say yes, that next Monday to could cause a lighting storm with your hammer. That would be like the best birthday ever! Even if you didn't read this, I will be glancing up at the sky, waiting for a storm. And Thor, you know, Loki is still your brother, don't forget. Everyone makes mistakes. My older brother went off to fight a war, and when he came back, he was different and really angry all the drinks a lot of grown up drinks, and then throws a fit. Lound noises scare him, and make him angry. But I know somewhere down deep inside of him, he is still Conner. And I know Loki is still Loki, you just have to be patient. You just have to help him, remind him who he really is. _

_ Well, I suppose that I better stop writing so that you can go train to save the world or whatever. Oh, and make sure not to drop a weight on your toe, because it really hurts. Oh, also, don't worry about eating all of your veggies and drinking your milk. You are way to strong to have to do that, unless you like those gross things. _

_ Farewell friend(It still sounds funny!), Alex Raffex, Son of Jack_

Thor looked out his window, at the real sky. He would be delighted to light up the world with lighting on Monday. He did miss Loki, who was up in Asgard, Odin deciding his punishment. Loki still was his brother, even after all the havoc he caused. In fact, even after finding out he was really adopted, Thor had treated Loki no different. He remembered how they used to care for each other. Neither of them would admit it, but they _needed_ each other. They were brothers, even if not in blood. They protected the other. Because that's what brothers do.

Thor eventually fell asleep, thoughts of Loki swarming his head. After causing a storm on Monday, he would go visit Loki. He would apologize for everything, even if Loki didn't want to hear it. Because that's what brothers do.


	5. Clint

** Thanks guys! Remember, I'm not going to be updating very quickly because school is starting in less than a week, and I'm always really busy during the school days. Most updates will probably happen on weekends. Remember also, if you want someone special not included in the Avengers, Nick fury, Loki…. Please tell me in a review. Thanks, you readers are Awesome. **

** Disclaimer- I own nothing, except for too many comic books for my own good. **

** Chapter 5- Clint**

Clint was in the vents, again. He never did sleep in his bed, always in the vents. He had them all booby-trapped, and only he knew how to maneuver around them. Sleeping in a bed made him feel exposed, unsafe. He had just gotten back from Natasha, who was sick still. He loved holding her in his arms. But now, he wasn't sure if it was just a comforting, protective thing, or if he liked her. He was always thinking about her. They were partners only, right? Natasha said love was for children, so she probably wasn't interested. So Clint would secretly love her from a distance; he always was better at doing things from a distance. No matter how many times he told himself it was just that they were friends, and that's why he felt so protective, he couldn't help but shiver when she touched him, or when they were so close.  
Clint liked to stay away from the rest of the team. He didn't want to get in their way. He always felt like a traitor after Loki messed with his mind. Sometimes he still dreamt about all the people he killed. He was an assassin; killing didn't bother him. It did though, when they were on your side. The others told him there was nothing he could do, it was magic, impossible to beat. No matter how much they assured him, he still felt terrible. Nat said he had most definitely redeemed himself by saving the world, but that wasn't true.

_ It wouldn't need saving if I hadn't been such an idiot. It wouldn't need saving if I hadn't gotten that metal for Selvig, or destroyed the hellicarrier. This was my entire fault._ Clint told himself as he sat in the air vents, trying to sleep.

He sat completely still as he watched Steve enter his room, and place a letter on his bed as he left. After making sure he was completely gone, Clint jumped down, staring at the letter like he had never seen such a thing.

Who in the world would be writing to me? He thought as he opened the letter.

The writing inside was messy, but readable.

_Dear Hawkeye,_

_ My name is Reed and I live in Iowa. I am almost eight. Did you know that the state bird of Iowa is the Iowa Hawkeye? Anyway, thanks for saving the world. That was very nice. You remind me of Robin Hood. I didn't think people still used a bow and arrows, I thought most people just used guns. Don't get me wrong; I think your weapon is so much cooler. I have a Nerf bow and arrow, is that still cool? I asked my parents if I could take lessons, but they said for me to practice with the one I have, and then they would think about it. Maybe you could give me lessons, that would be so cool! You don't have to; you probably don't have time. Anyways, I was wondering if you might send me an arrow. You don't have to, but you are the coolest out of all the heroes. Maybe you could send me an old one, or one you're done using. _

_ Also, I have a question. Did you shoot the Black Widow with one of your cupid arrows; is that why she loves you so much? I didn't know you had love arrows, but I guess I was wrong. You two work perfectly in harmony, so you must be in love, right? There is a really nice and pretty girl in my class that I wish I had a cupid arrow for. You are so lucky to have the Black Widow. Don't tell her this, but she's really pretty too. I want to be like you when I get older. Be able to hit the bull's-eye of a target, kick bad guy's butts, and to have a pretty girlfriend, or wife. Yup, you just got real lucky with God. You know, I think that if you and Widow got together and had a kid, its name should be BlackHawk; it's a mix between Black widow and Hawkeye, perfect. I just saw the movie Brave, and the main character could be your child, you know. She has red hair, and can shoot an arrow, see, it's an exact match!_

_ Well, I have to go to school now, second grade is hard. So, um, thanks for saving the world with your magical fiery explosive arrows. The world owes you big time._

_ Sincerely, Reed Hunter_

Hawkeye sat on his bed, many thoughts running through his head. Natasha loved him, and it was so obvious a little child could see it? He loved the idea of shooting her with a cupid arrow. BlackHawk? He needed to get her out of his head. This was really a cute kid. He wasn't sure how safe it was to give a child an arrow, but he had other ideas.

Racing down to Tony's lab, he found Tony and Bruce, bending over something small.

"Guys, I need you to make me something."

"What is it?"

"I need a small bow that looks like mine with arrows. Safe, something a kid could use."

Tony and Bruce looked at each other, shrugged, and went to work on the epic bow.

Clint smiled, now he needed to see Natasha.

** Sorry this is so short guys, I had a bit of writers block. I'll try to update soon. Please leave a review!**


	6. Bruce

** Thank you everybody for your support, it means so much. Anyway, some of your suggestions are really good. I most likely will include the kid's reactions, and add other Avengers receiving mail. Thanks again!**

** Disclaimer- Not mine, no matter how hard I wish upon a star.**

** Chapter 6- Bruce**

Bruce sat at the lab table, staring at an equation. He couldn't find the missing variable, no matter what he tried.

_ I'm just tired, and need to take a break._

Bruce, always a workaholic, hadn't eaten and slept little in two days. When he was onto something, he had to finish it.

He headed down to the kitchen, where Pepper was making herself a sandwich.

"Good afternoon Bruce. How have you been?"

"Fine, thanks."

"Oh, this came for you in the mail. I don't recognize the sender's address, maybe you will."

"Thanks," Bruce said, taking the letter back to the lab, along with an apple and a cup of coffee.

He opened it; he had never received a letter after the 'accident' happened that was addressed to him. Most letters were addressed to the Hulk only. It had a picture of a young boy inside, who was holding a structure of an atom.

_ Dear Bruce Banner- Hulk,_

_ My name is Brendan and I am eleven. I study physics, and lots of other sciencey stuff. The teachers say I have a gift, so I take high school physics. Anyway, I think it's really cool that you can turn into the Hulk. Does it hurt? Do you keep your human mind? In the battle footage, it looked like you could take orders from Captain America. Are you in the hulk's sub-conscience? Sorry for my constant rambling. I think I know how you feel. I don't know how it feels to turn into a giant green being, but I think I might understand some of what you're going through. My parents took me to the doctor one day, and the doctor told me I have Bi-Polar disorder. Sometimes I get really angry at the world, and I want to smash it to pieces._

_ I really don't like my science teacher; she tells me that some of the stuff I think of isn't possible. Maybe you could smash her for me one day? I have this notebook that I write all of my ideas in, but my teacher says they just aren't logical. You are a much better scientist than her though, maybe sometime we could meet, or video chat so that you could see if they are rational. I know this sounds really silly-it's in my notebook- but I have a crazy idea I thought of. Maybe small amounts of exposure to gamma radiation could be a temporary cure to certain kinds of cancer. I know, it's crazy, so you don't have to believe me. I've studied what the radiation did to you, and I think that it might work. When you're the Hulk, you are uninjured(mostly) by the time you go back to human form. Well, if you were to expose small amounts to cancer patients' cells, they might just be able adapt that regeneration-like ability. It would ,if at all, work in small areas and would not be a permanent cure, just a temporary thing. It probably wouldn't work, just an idea._

_ You know, you really are the coolest superhero of them all. You don't have a weapon, and yet, you completely kick butt! And the best part is, you aren't just a Hulk. Your abilities as a scientist make you an even better asset, a better advantage. Don't get me wrong, I love the Hulk and how he smashes, but muscles aren't everything. Well the good news for you is that no one will ever be like you, you will always be an unique addition to history and science. Would you be ok if I used you for my science biography I have to write? That would be the coolest project ever!_

_ Thanks for taking the time to read this, if you even did. You have no idea how much it means. But seriously, can you smash my teacher, please? Again, maybe we could meet sometime._

_ Brendan Doyle_

Bruce just stared at the letter. First off, no one had ever referred to him as Bruce in a letter; they were all to Hulk. Second, the radiation just might work for cancer. It was unproven, but might work. Bruce wanted to see this child. He was genius. It felt amazing that someone saw him as something other than a beast. Someone understood. It would be too dangerous to meet the kid in person, but video chatting might be a good option.

"Hey Tony…" Bruce called, walking into Tony's office. "Is there a chance you could find a kid online for me?"

** Another chapter up. Thanks for the support, and please please please leave a review.**


	7. Nick Fury

** Ok everybody, this isn't really an Avenger, but it was requested. Thanks for the support!**

** Disclaimer- I do not own, or am not making money off of the Avengers. Come on people, do I look like I am with this crummy writing!? **

** Chapter 7- Nick**

Nick shut off the screen. He was sick of talking to the Council about the damage the Avengers had cost. They had saved the world, what part of that could the committee not understand? They were being blamed for saving lives. Sometimes Nick didn't know who's side the committee was on.

He sat down in his favorite leather chair at his desk, massaging his temples. All the team was at Avengers tower, so he granted a little bit of peace and quiet. He shuffled through the papers on his desk, shredding most of them. At SHIELD, everything that anyone was done with was shredded. He shredded half of the papers on his desk, most of them from the Council. What junk. One was an envelope, but not from them.

It was written in the handwriting of a child, not the sharp- typed letters he usually received from some secret organization. He opened it, curious.

_Dear Nick Fury,_

_ My name is Joanna. I live here in Manhattan; your team saved my house from the evil aliens. I'm not really sure what you do, except for that you assembled the Avengers. I guess you deserve thanks for assembling a team, even if you didn't fight. It's pretty hard to make a team out of misfits, huh? My little sister thinks you look like an evil pirate, have you ever been in a movie? Maybe you were in Pirates of the Caribbean. If not, you should be. My brother thinks you rock, and wants an eye patch like yours. My sis thinks you should paint an eye on it, so people think it is really an eye. She is so silly. _

_ In my opinion, you should make it look pretty. You could at least paint it gold, or maybe put a giant jewel in the middle. That way, you could look even more intimidating to the bad guys. Are you good at poker, 'cause you look like the kind of person you would have a good poker face. Do you even smile? I know since you are like, a secret agent and everything, you have to look tough, but come on! The Avengers saved the world, and you didn't even give a tiny grin! You need to work on that. My bro says it's part of the bad-bad word that starts with an a and ends in an s – attitude, what ever that means. Mommy told me not to say it because it is a very bad word. I am eight; I think I can handle bad words!_

_ Another thing you should work on is your potty mouth. I know that you are an adult, but bad words are naughty to say. But it's your mouth- your choice. Oh, also, do you ever get hot wearing that giant black coat everywhere? It looks so hot; I would be sweating! Uh oh, mommy says I have to finish up the letter because you have better things to do. So remember…_

_ 1- New eyepatch _

_ 2- NO pottymouth_

_ 3- SMILE AT HAPPY STUFF! _

_ Well, I gotta go now. Nice talking to you, Joanna McFarland_

Nick stared at the envelope. No one ever told him what to do, ever. But it was cute. The cursing he was not getting rid of. If he did, the Avengers would be dead right now. The eyepatch was not getting a jewel. He walked down the hall, and stopped at some guards.

"Hello gentlemen," He said with a minuscule smile, walking on.

The guards looked at each other, horror written upon their faces.

"Is he taking drugs?"

"I don't think so, but he was **smiling**! This can **not** be good at all."

\ ** Sorry it was so short. I just had a couple of extra minutes in my day. Please make me happy and Review!**


	8. Loki

** Thank 'yall so much! I am nearly jumping up and down with all of the reviews, alerts, and favorites. You peeps are awesome! My last day of summer!No!**

** Disclaimer- Come on people, no, I am not making loads of cash off of this amazing fandom! *Sob***

** Chapter 8- Loki**

It was cold, freezing to be exact. The small cell Loki sat in awaiting his punishment was cold, chilling his bones. Odin had blocked his mouth, along with his magic, but there was no way to block the Jotun part of him. Closing his eyes, Loki allowed the blue hue to spread on his skin, the red into his eyes. Now he felt less chilly, considering this was, or should be, his natural habitat coming from Jotunheim.

For once in his life, Loki felt remorse. It was only now that he realized he would gain nothing by ruling the mortals. He was bullied into it by Thanos, and nothing could be done. Guilt swept through him. He wished everything could go back to the way it had been. When it was him and Thor, Loki keeping Thor out of making a fool of himself. Or when they were little boys, and they would stay up late at night, telling each other the most amazing stories of the nine realms. And when Thor swore to protect his little brother. Or even when Thor….. Thor, Thor Thor. Thor was all Loki could think about. All he wanted was for Thor to come talk to Loki in his loud, boisterous voice. Loki wanted to cling to Thor, and to never let go. He wanted Thor to tell him everything would be okay, and that he would protect his little brother.

Loki was not one for sentiment, but he silently let tears flow down his sallow cheeks. Now, for once, he had hoped that when he fell into the abyss, he could have stayed there, slowly dying in the large hole of the universe. He wanted to stay down there, away from this terrible world, or even worlds. He just wanted it to be over. But here he sat, awaiting Odin's punishment.

He heard footsteps, and quickly went back to his god form, allowing the cold to wash over him. A guard walked in, opening a piece of paper and placing it in front of Loki. Of course, they weren't stupid enough to unlock his hands from their heavy shackles. Loki stared at the letter, never receiving one before. It was a writing to him, from a little girl.

_ Dear Loki,_

_ Hello. My name is Kitara. I watched you destroy our world on the television. You were fantastic! I mean, come on! How did you get such a large army? Just think, with all of the experience you had then, imagine next time. All you'd have to do is find some way to get rid of the Avengers. I mean, did you see what the Hulk did to the city! Complete destruction. You lost because of Selvig's built in way to destroy the portal. You know what they say, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Next time, you need to set up a portal with out a safety feature. _

_ Also, may I just say that your hair looks fabulous! Do you use Lor'eal, or should I say Thor'eal. Hahaha, that was funny. Anyways, I think that you should add a streak of green to your raven hair. You know, to complement your eyes. Whatever, I'm not a fashion expert. The Chitauri were destroyed, but I'm sure you could find another fighting source. My parents think I'm crazy to like a 'bad guy' and that I should like the good guys. The only problem is, the good people always win. The bad guys deserve a chance too, right? I mean, in Mario, why doesn't Bowser win? In Harry Potter, why doesn't Voldemort win? The bad guys are always so much more smarter; they actually have a plan. The good guys usually win by accident. That's not fair. _

_ Well, you deserve to win. You planned well; you tried harder. You fought for a purpose. But the Avengers? They probably fought for their own fame. While you on the other hand, you fought for a fame and glory for Asgard. They fought to have their names on t-shirts. You should have won. But you didn't. Next time, when you come to Earth, I'd love to help. My address is on the envelope; you should drop by before trying to destroy the world again. Maybe I could do your hair for you, too. Good job!_

_ Kitara Homliski_

Some one was actually praising him for trying to rule Eath. In the little dark cell, Loki was filled with emotion. Someone actually cared. Loki shook his head; he was a god, and would not fall for sentimentality. It did feel nice, though, that someone out there was proud of him. His own father and mother sure weren't, and Laufey, his true father, was dead. Thor probably hated him; Thor felt it was his duty to protect the puny mortals.

Loki stared back at the flimsy piece of paper. Maybe some mortals weren't as bad as he had thought.

** Hey everybody. If you are reading this, thank you so much for sticking with me this whole way through. Sorry it was so short. Next chapter, we kinda see the Avengers/kids reactions/possible meetings! Please review!**


	9. Steve and Hugo

** Ok, so finally, here are the kids' reactions. Sadly, not all of the kids get to meet their hero, but those who don't are somehow affected. So here is Hugo and Steve. **

** Disclaimer- I only own the children. ;(**

** Chapter 9- Steve and Hugo**

Hugo gripped the letter with all of his strength. The letter was a response from Captain America. Hugo wasn't expecting him to actually right back, but that wasn't the best part. He glanced down at the letter, rereading the same small sentence at the bottom of the page over and over again.

_ I'll be there August 4th, at approximately eleven o'clock, a.m. Make sure all your friends are there._

_ Captain America _

Hugo's friends were on their way; Captain should be here any minute. Hugo sat on his porch, waiting patiently, but filled to the brim with excitement. Any minute the hero of his dreams would be here. He just had to wait.

* * *

Hugo felt a nudge on his shoulder. Groggily waking up, he realized he had fallen asleep on the porch, and his mother was waking him. He glanced at his old watch. It was four o' clock. Captian America wasn't coming. Hugo felt his heart sink.  
The crestfallen child ate dinner quietly, and headed up to bed. He lay down, many thoughts racing through his head.  
_ Captain America would never visit me. _  
_ I was so stupid. I was so stupid to think that Captain America would come all the way to Germany to visit a group of rag-tag little boys who are worth nothing. I can't believe I actually thought he would. I let down the others by making them think he was really going to come. God, please tell all the boys I'm sorry, and little Wenzel. Especially little Wenzel. All the teachers were right; I'm silly to believe in Captain America. All of the people who made fun of me were right._  
Hugo wanted to cry, but he knew big children don't cry, so he kept it in. He collapsed into his pillow, falling asleep rather quickly.

* * *

In the morning, Hugo woke up, still a bit upset about Captain America. He ate breakfast quickly and quietly, then went outside to meet his friends. Thank Goodness for weekends! When all of the children had arrived at their official meeting place, they began to chatter.

"So, do you vant to play?" Viktor asked, his strong German accent covering all of his words.

"I call being a Hydra!"

"Can I be Hydra leader?"

"No, you were last time!"

"Fine, but I get to be second in command."

"I'm Captain America!"

"What about you Hugo?" Hugo looked up at the other boys.

"I don't know guys, I don't really feel like playing today."

"I know you're sad, but it'll cheer you up. Come on!" Simon said, patting his friend on the back. "You can be in the Hydra team with me!"

Hugo shrugged, but as soon as they began to play, he had to admit he was having a great time. What he didn't notice was how late it was becoming. They had skipped lunch they were so intrigued with the game. Most likely, however, they would make up for it by eating a hearty dinner. Finally they came to where 'Captain America' would slay the 'Red Skull.'

"With my shield and bravery, I will defeat you, Red Skull!"

"Mind if I help you with that?" A voice asked from behind them.

There stood Captain America, in uniform, with his mighty shield. Hugo thought he was going to die with excitement, but figured if he died, he wouldn't get to spend time with his favorite hero.

"You came!" Hugo said, running up to him.

"Sorry I was late. My plane got canceled, so I had to take one of Stark's. Now, do you guys want to defeat Red Skull or not?"

A chorus of excited 'yes' ran through all of the boys, each grinning larger than the next. As the super soldier walked over, a gleam caught Hugo's eye. It was coming from the captain's chest. There was the lucky star pin he had sent with the letter. His lucky charm on a superhero! Hugo couldn't suppress his smile as they played; still trying to believe Captain America was here with them in Germany!

Jonas, who was the Skull, 'shot' Captain with his fake gun, which Steve 'dodged.' The others pretended to attack the soldier, but he 'somehow' escaped. Finally he walked up to the Skull's lair, where Jonas stood on a crate, letting out a maniacal evil laugh.

"You will never defeat me. I am the Red Skull, and I will rule you all with the power of the gods!"

"I don't think so." Steve replied, forcing back a chuckle. This was the most fun he had had in ages. If only real life could be like this. The two pretended to have a harsh fistfight, and towards the end, the Skull was losing bitterly. Finally, the Captain finished him off with his shield, and Jonas 'fell' off of the wooden crate.

"Nooooooo," He let out in a harsh whisper, but loud enough for the others to hear. "I will not die, I will defeat you all someda…." And with that, Jonas grasped his neck, closed his eyes, and stuck out his tongue. The Red Skull was dead.

_ If only dead people really looked that comical._ Steve thought, smiling. He looked at the young boys, how they all were the best of friends. _Kinda like me and Bucky….._

Many other games later, some like tag in which Steve failed, everyone was tired. One boy ran into his house and grabbed a basket. It was filled with meat, bread, cheese, and fruit. They all sat on a patch of grass, eating, talking, and laughing.

"Hey Captain, can you tell us a war story?" Felix asked, the others nodding in agreement. The super soldier racked his brains, trying to make the story sound cooler than it actually was. He took a bite of apple, swallowed, and began the epic tale. All of the young boys' eyes widened, ready for an amazing story. Hugo looked happiest of all, realizing his hero was even cooler than he had imagined.

"It was a dark and stormy night. I had infiltrated the Red Skull's secret base. I was outnumbered, twenty to one with only a gun and a shield….."

* * *

That night, two people prayed to the sky. One thanked the lucky stars that had granted his wish, the other thanking the little metal star that had led him to a young, amazing, and bright boy.

** Ok, how was it? There will be more with the other Avengers, but this had to come first. Please leave a review and tell me how I did, but no flames please. Thanks!**


	10. Natasha and Amber

** Thank 'yall for the positive reviews, you have NO idea how happy they make me. Sorry this is so short. **  
** Disclaimer- I only own the computer, too many comic books, and my head. Well, I did own my head, but I lent it to a friend this week. :) **

** Chapter 10- Natasha and Amber**

Amber sat at her desk, coloring a picture for school. Most of the picture was pink and purple, what a surprise (sarcasm!) She finished coloring, but the picture seemed to be lacking something. Sparkles, of course! She walked over to the art bin and pulled out some sparkles and glue. Carefully, she poured glue onto the page, and then dumped some sparkles on the sticky substance. Blowing away the excess, her mother walked through the door. She was holding something.

"Amber, this came for you in the mail. I have no clue who it's from. Now, finish that up so you can go to gymnastics." She handed the package to Amber, who quickly unwrapped it. Inside there was a bottle of bright pink nail polish, and a slip of paper.

_ What do you think? Good color for me? – BW_

Amber stared at the note, very confused. Who sent the polish and note? She put it on her desk, and went to her room to get her leotard on. She put her hair in a ponytail, and got into the car.

"Hey mommy, in the little package you gave me, there was pretty pink nail polish, and a letter. It asked if I thought the nail polish looked good on the person who it was from. I don't know who sent it. Do you?"

"No, I don't know. Now, go in there and do your thing. Oh, and please tell Coach Valtress I said hi. Remember, he said if you finished you level today, he might give you those plastic guns you wanted. So go try your hardest." The mother kissed her daughter goodbye, and drove away.

* * *

A very happy little Amber walked out of a gym, smelling of chalk, two fake guns in hand. She was happy; now she could be like the Black Widow! These guns were special; if you pulled the trigger, it made a shooting noise. Amber walked outside, waiting for her mother to pick her up. She saw a squirrel, and 'shot it', satisfied with the realistic noise. As her mother pulled up, she waved the guns at her, a large smile on her face. She got into the car.

"Mommy, look at the guns! They make real noises! Now I can be like the Black Widow."

"That's great Amber. Did you perfect your beam routine?"

"Yes, I did. I almost messed up the flip part, but I did get it. I messed up the bars, but Coach said we would work on that next time."

The rest of the ride home was silent, and when they pulled into the driveway, Amber sprinted to her room. The whole thing was covered in Black Widow posters, and Amber put on some sweat pants, strapped the guns on the belt, and ran outside, a couple stuffed animals in hand. She quickly placed the animals in different locations, some up high, some in a bush, ect. She then stood in the middle of the backyard, guns in hand.

"I'll save you from the evil aliens!" she shouted, doing cartwheels on the lawn. Shooting the guns at imaginary foe, she scooped up the small fake animals, one by one. This went on for half an hour before she got tired, so she put the animals and guns back in her room.

In the kitchen, she ate a bowl of Mac and Cheese her mother made her, then proceeded to her room to read for a little bit. She loved the Magic Tree House series. As she began to read, she heard her mother calling her from the den. She put the book down, and ran into the room. Then news was on TV. She hated the news. Then something caught her eyes. The Avengers were defeating evil robots, and the Black Widow was there, fighting really well. The Black Widow's nails were pink. Bright Pink. The same nail polish color she got in the mail. She reread the note, realizing it was from the hero of her dreams. Her hero had worn pink nail polish for her!

"Hey mommy, will you paint my nails?"

"Of course."

That night, Amber couldn't sleep at all because she was too busy thinking about the Black  
Widow. Now both of them had pink nails. On the other hand, Natasha Romanoff slept well, knowing she had made some little girl happy.

** I know this was probably one of my weaker ones, but oh well. Please leave a review. Next update, the one most people have been waiting for, Tony and Zack!**


	11. Tony and Zack

** Thank you for the positive reviews! Now, the chapter all you emotional people have been waiting for- Tony and Zach! **

** Disclaimer- How many times must I say this- NOT MINE. **

** Chapter 11- Tony and Zach**

Zack bit his lip hard, causing it to bleed slightly. He was trying to be brave as the doctors gave him shots, put IVs in his arms, and got him ready for his final operation. It was almost confirmed that he would never walk again, and now they were giving him a final surgery to try to get his nerves to respond. If this didn't work, nothing would. He was sick of all this stuff. He just wanted to go home. Soon the anesthesia was kicking in, and Zack was submerged into unconsciousness.

When Zack woke up, he felt groggy. The IV in his arm was making it itch, and he wanted to pull it out, though he didn't. His mother suddenly walked into the room, and grabbed his hand. As she sat on the edge of his bed, Zack looked at her eyes. They were red and puffy. She looked at him sympathetically, and he already knew what the results had been. He would never walk again.

He wanted to kick, scream, break something, but he just laid there in the hospital bed, face clean of emotion. His mother's phone rang, and she went into the hall to answer it. He tried moving his toes, but couldn't. He pinched one of his legs hard, but didn't feel it. He knew this was coming, but when it was actually confirmed, it really sunk in.

_I will never walk again. I will never play football with Andrew, Pete, Chris, and the others. I will never be able to ride my bike. I will be stuck in a stupid wheelchair forever! _

He finally broke. After trying so hard to keep himself together, he just let it go. Tears rolled from his cheeks onto the mattress. He tried to flip himself over to cry into the pillow so no on would hear him, but he couldn't because his legs wouldn't move.

_I hate this, I hate this, I hate this! I wish I never went to see that movie. I wish I never went that night. I wish I could have stayed at home with Sara and watched a movie on TV. I am so stupid. Arggghh!_

Zack fell asleep then, tears still wet on his face, praying that tonight he wouldn't be frightened by the usual nightmares.

When he woke up, he only noticed the loud talking outside of his door, one voice was definitely the doctor's, but the other he wasn't sure. Right now the unknown voice was talking, and sounded a bit frustrated.

"Are you really going to deny me? You, a doctor, are going to deny a chance for a little boy to possibly be fixed? Really? That doesn't seem to be caring for the patient very much to me."

"Sir, we are doing everythi….."

"No," the strange voice interrupted. "Do not tell me you are doing everything you can, because you definitely are not by denying me access. And I will be known as Mr. Stark; only JARVIS may call me 'Sir.'

Zack sat up in bed. Stark? As in Tony Stark? As in Ironman? And he wanted to see him?

"But that is beside the point. Now, are you going to let me into the room, or just stand there? Because if you don't, I will literally sue the hospital."

"One second sir, let me check if he is awake." The doctor opened the door, and looked at Zack. "Zack, are you ok with seeing a visitor right now?" The boy nodded, very excitedly. The door was opened more, and in walked Tony Stark.

Tony Stark was a bit shorter than Zack expected, but that didn't stop him from gaping in awe. In his hand was a case, but it wasn't the business type, and looked more like metal than leather.

_ Ironman is standing in my hospital room. _

Tony Stark's eyes quickly moved around the room. The white walls were covered in Ironman posters. The kid had good taste. Tony really hated hospitals, but he walked in and sat down in the cheap chair next to Zack. There were IVs in his arms, and his back still had gauze on it. Poor kid.

"Are you Zack?"

"Yea, I mean yes, yes I am." Zack was still trying to believe this was actually happening.

"Well, in case you didn't know, I'm Tony Stark, aka Ironman. I got your letter. I'm here to help you, possibly."

"Really?"

"Yep. But before that, I need to talk to some doctors, look at your x-rays, all that jazz. So I'll be back in a while, maybe longer. Good?"

"Yeah!" Zack mumbled excitedly, watching his hero exit his room. He collapsed on his pillows, tired. This might just be the best day of his life. He tried to sleep, hoping it would work.

Tony Stark walked into the x- ray room, while doctors pulled up pictures and scans of where the bullet hit his spine. As he waited for the copies to be complete, he sat down in the chair in the room. Many thoughts filled his head.

_No kid deserves this. I'm gonna find that Holmes man and blast him to pieces, slowly and painfully. _

Tony rubbed his temples. His head was still hurting from drinking last night. Just seeing this kid made his reactor hurt, both sentimentally and physically. He could only remember the pain as they operated on his awake, the piercing in his chest, the blood everywhere. In a mental sense, it made him think about how he deserved it for being a know- it- all weapons dealer, while this child didn't. Zack was just a kid, what on Earth could he have done to deserve this? What possibly?!

Just before he got real angry, some doctor handed him the scans. They were really bad. It had nearly shattered the bottom of his spine; it was a miracle that he was still able to move at all or to still be here for that matter. After studying the photos, he took the symptoms sheet. It was a pretty long list. Nightmares, inability to sleep, inability to walk(duh!), almost all symptoms of PTSD. Tony knew that too well. After Afghanistan, he had almost the exact symptoms, and had been diagnosed with PTSD. He remembered the nightmares that plagued him at night about Yensin, and how he couldn't save him. Just as he stood up, he heard a noise come from Zack's room. All the doctors sprinted to the room, but Tony ushered them away. He entered the room, and ordered the doctors out (which probably wasn't legal, but he was Tony Stark!) The sight he saw made the inside of him freeze.

Zack had the covers coiled around his knees, and was visibly sweating. His face was contorted into one of severe pain, but he was muttering.

"Please don't! Please, I don't want to die! Help, someone help me! I'm dying! Help!

Tony was frozen. Finally he gathered his wits, and walked to the bed, sitting in the edge. He usually kept his night demons to himself, but sometimes Pepper would comfort him. He racked his brains, trying to figure out what to do. He slowly rubbed small circles on Zack's back, muttering reassurance. Eventually he stopped moving, and calmed down. His eyes opened, looking at Tony, a bit confused at the whole matter. He sat up, realizing what had happened. He put his head in his hands.

"You must think me the biggest coward," Zack muttered, his face turning red.

"No," Tony replied. "I think you are the bravest person I have ever met. You have lived through things no one should experience, and yet you haven't given up. You still smile; you still make the world seem like a place worth living in. Now what do you say we try to allow you to walk again?"

"What?" Zack asked. "You think you can actually help me?"

"I'm Ironman, I know so." He took out the case, placing it on the ground. He opened the door, allowing a couple of doctors in along with Zack's mother, telling them to stand on the side.

"Zack, do you trust me?"

"Of course!"

Tony carefully lifted Zack out of bed, supporting him so that his feet were placed even on the case. Zack felt his legs wobble, but embarrassedly leaned on Tony. The older man pressed a blue button on the case, and Zack gasped. Sturdy wires snaked up his legs and attached to his hips. They looked like an exoskeleton supporting his legs, but they were a metallic blue and green. Slowly, Tony let go of Zack, and the boy was standing on his own, although not moving. Zack's mother gasped.

"Ok, hold this." Tony handed him something that looked like a small remote control. There was an up and down button, along with many others. " Push the up button."

Zack did, and suddenly, the machine moved his legs for him, propelling him forward. He was walking! After taking those few steps, Zach winced. There was a slightly painful spark in his lower back. Tony obviously noticed this, and smiled.

"I'm taking it you felt that. Your nerves are staring to respond. After a couple of months of using this half -suit, your nerves should be fully responding, and if everything goes right, you should be able to walk without the suit." Tony couldn't help but smile when he saw the giant smile and look of excitement. There was no word to describe it.

"Do you really mean it? I'm gonna walk again? For real?"

"Yep, but it will take a while. We don't want to rush things. Now" he pointed to the doctors, "you all can leave now so that my friend and I can actually talk about something not health related, and maybe have a Mariokart competition. JARVIS, can you pull up Mariokart on the TV screen?" Tony pulled out two remotes from the second case he had been carrying, and gave a remote to Zack. Zack smiled the largest smile. His hero had given him the ability to walk, and now they were going to play videogames!

"You're on!"

It was late, and yet, Tony had one of the best times in his life. It was amazing how much a little boy could cheer him up. Somehow, Zack had managed to beat him in every race, Tony just managed to fall off of cliffs. It was time for tony to leave, no matter how much he didn't' t want to. If he had a choice, he wouldn't leave, but he had over exceeded his visiting hours.

"Well Zack, I hate to leave, but your nasty doctors are shunning me out. It was really nice meeting you, but don't worry. I'll visit from time to time to make sure your half- suit is working. Now, don't leave me hanging!"

The two fist bumped like teenagers, and Zack tried to explain how grateful he was. Finally, he gave up with words, and hugged Tony. It was a tight hug, one that you would remember for a lifetime. It lasted a while, and promising he would come back, Tony. Zack couldn't stop smiling. There was more to Ironman than just the suit.

That night, two men (well, one almost a man) were wearing suits of armor. One suit had saved a life, and one had made life worth living. Both made the world a little bit of a better place.

**Well, how was it? I'm almost to 100 reviews, please help me achive that goal. This chapter was dedicated to the victims of the Aurora shooting, and to my paralyzed cousin. **


	12. Thor and Alex

**Thank you for everyone who has stuck with me thus far. You all are amazing. So, I'll stop rambling so you can go on and read. **

** Disclaimer- I do not own the Avengers and am not making money off of them. They belong to  
Marvel. Oh well. Sadly, I do not own Kraft Mac and Cheese, no matter how much I enjoy it.**

** Chapter 4- Thor and Alex**

Alex stared at the sky out of the window, blue eyes unwavering. He was officially ten years old. It seemed so weird to him to have a double- digit year. 10. It seemed like he was uncovering a new age, after all, it was only once he would be able to add a new digit to his age, unless he made it to 100, which he doubted. It was three 'o clock in the morning, which was strange for him since he usually slept in. But this morning he was waiting, waiting for lightning. His mother had told him lighting usually came early in the morning, so he woke up super early on purpose.

_Thor probably didn't read my letter. I'm just a small person in a big world, well, for him, one world out of many. But maybe he did. I just have to wait. Everyone has to wait for things they want. I wish I didn't. But if I get lightning, I will wait all day next to this window. It would be worth it. _

He heard his stomach growl, so quickly walking down the stairs into the kitchen, he eyed all of windows on the way down. When he arrived at the given destination, he looked through his choices.

_Let's see- cereal, no; eggs, blech; apples, healthy and gross; pinapple, no way hose-a; banana, hmmmmmmm._

The young boy picked a banana, deciding it was a little healthy. After all, he did want to be like Thor- big and strong. He snuck the yellow fruit and a glass of juice into his room, sitting on the padded windowsill. He still had an hour at least until the sun would rise, so he looked at the posters covering his room as he munched. His room was covered with pictures of space, the universe, (well, as humans knew it, probably not how Thor knew it.) Someday, he was going to be the first human to visit Asgard. His father slightly discouraged him, saying the Asgardians wouldn't like it, and that it wasn't possible. But Alex had done lots of research. His bookcase was filled with National Geographic, mostly the space and planet ones though. He would go to Asgard, even if it killed him.

Alex then realized he was shivering, so he pulled the quilt off of his bed and wrapped himself up. A flash of grey caught his eye, and Alex looked down. A beat up grey truck sped out of the driveway; it was Conner. He always left early in the morning, and came back after midnight, mom and dad said that was very bad. He overheard them talking about him going to bars 'trying to drink it all away.' Drink what away? Conner wouldn't even talk to Alex anymore. He knew war was a scary thing, but he didn't know it could do that to a person. When it was the Fourth of July at the fair and the fireworks started, Conner covered his ears, got angry, and quickly drove back home and locked himself in his room for two days. Alex missed his real brother, the one that wasn't angry and scared all the time. That's probably how Thor felt with Loki, missing the Loki that wasn't trying to destroy the world.

This was a perfect moment. He was ten, all cozy in a blanket, drinking juice, watching the sun just start to rise. The only problem was that he was tired, really tired. He closed his eyes, promising himself to only close them for a minute.

**T-H-I-S—I-S- A- B-R-E-A-K- L-I-N-E- T-H-I-N-G!**

When Alex woke up, it was one 'o clock.

_Oh no, what if I missed the lighting!_

He raced down the stairs.

"Has there been any thunder or lighting when I was asleep?" He asked his mom.

"Nope, I would have woken you up if there had been."

He ran into the computer room, and logged onto the weather. Today's forecast was sunny, chance of rain- 0%. Alex frowned, but inside he still felt that it just might happen.

"You want to go to the store to get stuff to make your cake?" Alex's mom asked.

"Sure." They got into the car. Making a homemade cake was a family tradition, and it sure wasn't going to stop now. He stared out the window, at the sky.

"Waiting for lighting?"

"Yeah, do you think I'll get some?" He asked, turning to face his mother.

"I don't know sweetie, we'll just have to wait and see. But no matter what happens today, I don't want you to get discouraged, all right?"

"Sure mom."

When they returned home with all of the ingredients, Alex started to make the cake. He followed the directions exactly, all the while making a mess. He dipped his finger in the sweet batter, licking it in content. Now it was time to put the cake in the oven, which his father helped him with. After the timer for the cake was set, Alex headed back up to his room to his comfy windowsill. He turned on the radio to his favorite station. He pulled out a notepad to doodle on, when a song on the radio made him listen.

_ When your lips touch mine_

_ It's the kiss of life_

_ I know, I know that it's a little bit frightening, _

_ We might as well be playing with lightning._

_ We touch like, Like it's our first time,oh oh,_

_ I know that it's a little bit frightening, _

_ We might as well be playing with lightning now...oh oh._

Alex smiled. Playing with lightning was really dangerous. Was that what playing with girls was like? Was it that dangerous? Soon the time flied, and Alex could smell the sweet scent of freshly baked cake wafting up into his room. He went downstairs where mother had prepared dinner early. He took his time icing the cake with blue icing, with hints of yellow. This was going to be the best cake ever (he said that every year, but oh well.)

They ate on the patio, looking over the beautiful mountains of California. He ate his favorite meal, extra cheesy Kraft Mac and Cheese. Then they ate the cake, which had extra icing. They sat outside talking, while the sun was setting. It made Alex sad that Conner hadn't joined them; it was like he wasn't part of the family anymore. Then it happened.

The sky lit up as lightning darted through the air. This lightning looked like it was made out of mini-rainbows, and unlike real lightning, it lingered for a while, then went away. Alex was captivated. This was the coolest sky show he had ever seen. The beams were constant, many at once filling the sky, illuminating it. After each strike, a loud booming filled the air, making Alex grin even wider. The show went on for several minutes, and Alex saw his dad slightly smile, amazed at what had happened. This was the best birthday ever.

That night, two people prayed to God(s). One prayed to God, thanking him for all of that day. The other prayed to all the many gods before him, hoping he had pleased this child. Both prayed for lost brothers, hoping that some God(s) out there would help them.

**Well, wada you think? BTW- I am religious, so if I insulted anyone out there with the whole god(s) thing, I am truly sorry. **


	13. Clint and Reed

** SORRY THIS IS SO LATE, MY INTERNET AND TV GOT CUT OFF !Oh no, the story is starting to come to a close. Don't kill me, but I don't think I'm gonna do a follow up for Nick or Loki. With the given scenarios, it would just be too hard. Don't kill me. Thanks for all the support! ****Sorry if this seems way too cheesy!**** This chapter is for Clintasha 123. **

** Disclaimer- Newsflash- I own the Avengers, MWAHAHAHA, Avengers raise their respective weapons and raise them at my face. Tehehe, just kiddding!**

**Chapter 13- Clint and Reed**

"Reed, get down from up there this instant!" Reed's mother nearly screamed with fear. And she had every right to. Reed was on top of the roof of the shed, Nerf bow and arrow in hand, aiming it at a squirrel.

"But mom,"

"No but's. Now come down before I call your father."

Reed, ever being a child, shook his butt at his mother, proving, yes, there were buts (or butts) in this world. He climbed down, a bit frustrated.

_I bet Hawkeye's mom wouldn't tell him to get down. I bet Hawkeye could climb all he wanted. If she had let me stay up there, I might have gotten that squirrel. _

The young boy crawled off of the roof, and went inside. At the table his homework awaited him, making Reed put in a face of disgust.

"Mom, Hawkeye didn't have to do homework when he was little, rumor says he worked at a circus. Tomorrow, I'm gonna run away and join a circus, and you can't stop me."

"I believe I can." His mother replied, rolling her eyes. This Hawkeye business was really getting to Reed's head, and she didn't' think it was all that good for him. Soon he would end up falling off of the shed, breaking an arm or leg.

The young boy picked up his pencil, grumbling, and began his work.

_This is stupid. It's not even four, and I'm already starting my homework! Maybe if I finish early, I can go talk to Bella. _

Bella was the kid in Reed's class he had mentioned having a giant crush on. And the best part was they were neighbors!

Ten minutes later, Reed sprinted out the door, homework completed, to the fence that separated Bella and him. He sat by the fence, waiting, for almost half an hour.

_I guess she is not home. Oh well, maybe next time._

He headed to his room, and sat on his bunk bed. But something was different. The wall across from his window had a target made of paper Reed had made himself, which he used to practice with. Now, a real arrow was stuck in the bull's-eye, into the wall, with a paper attached.

_Wanna come to the shed?_

Reed, only hoping what he was imagining was real, jumped out of his low window, and ran to the shed. On top there was a man all dressed in black, stringing a bow, with another case next to it. Hawkeye!

Reed climbed up, and sat next to the man.

"Are you, like, really Hawkeye?"

"Yup. At least, I hope there isn't another. Anyway, you're Reed, right?"

"Yup," Reed said, copying Clint.

"Well Reed, I got something to show you. Follow me."

Clint hopped off the shed, and landed with grace only an assassin could accomplish. Reed, tried to do what Barton had done, and fell, with Clint catching him. Putting the boy on the ground, Clint led Reed to the woods a little far out, where he had set up some targets. When Reed saw the targets, he put on a look of distress.

"Oh no, I forgot my bow at home! Let me run and get it!"

"No need," Clint replied, pulling out the case he had been carrying earlier. When he opened it, he couldn't help smile when he saw the boy's face. Inside was a custom- made bow fit for a young child, and just as durable. It looked just like his, but smaller, and with blue. The upper limb of the bow had an R etched into it, and in Reed's words, looked "Way awesome." Also, inside the case, was a quiver filled with arrows. They could kill a squirrel if needed, but were safe enough for the boy.

Reed just stood there, dumbfounded. This was the coolest thing he had ever gotten in his life.

"Now I think it's time you got some real lessons, huh?"

Reed nodded vigorously, eager with all of his being. Hawkeye got out his own bow, and began to help Reed string the mini one.

"You want to string it tight, if it's not, the arrow won't go anywhere. You want to tie the other end right here, where this groove is. Yep, just like that." Clint smiled as the kid stuck his tongue out slightly in concentration.

"Now you want to concentrate before you even shoot. Think of something that is calm, or something that makes you happy. Even think of something that will boost your confidence."

Reed furrowed his brow. What would he think of? He turned to Clint.

"What do you think of?"

Now it was Clint's turn to furrow his brow. He usually thought of Natasha, the way she moved so gracefully, or sometimes in battle, he would glance at her quickly enough to motivate himself. She was just plain amazing to him. But she didn't want to be a relationship, right? Surely not, what they had was just mutual, but he wished it were more. After he had asked the two Science Bros. to make Reed a bow, he headed off to Natasha. He told himself he would tell her how he felt (which, by the way, is not something an assassin usually does unless very desperate.) But as soon as he walked into the room, he insisted he was just checking up on her, and he didn't tell her after all. Just being around her made his knees feel weak, and sweat would gather in his palms. She was just so special. He didn't think he could explain that feeling to a child.

"I usually think about Wii archery."

"Really?" Reed asked as he giggled.

"Well yeah, I just pretend I'm in a video game, and it's all just a game, that it won't matter whether or not I make it. Don't tell the other Avengers this, but I kick their butts at Wii Archery." This again made Reed giggle. "Now, notch the arrow right here, so that the arrow tip lines up with this part of the string, like this." Clint gently placed his hands on top of Reed's, and guided them. "Now pull back, but try to doo it smoothly, in one motion." Reed had some problems with this, so Clint used his hands to help out a little.

Soon the bow was strung, and an arrow notched, and it was time to fire it.

"Ok, great, now you are going to hold up the bow like this. Nope, almost, just a little higher, there we go. Now, close your eyes for a brief second and think about your calming object. Just out of curiosity, what is it?"

Reed spoke with his eyes closed, and smiled. "Bella."

"And who is this presumably young lady you speak of?"

Reed blushed a little bit. "She is the girl I wanted to shoot with a magical cupid arrow. She lives next to me, and is in my class. She's really pretty. And nice."

Clint smiled. So he wasn't the only archer with a crush. This kid was just getting better and better. "Well, now think of Bella, and open your eyes. See the dot on the target over there? Line up the arrow and the dot, but make the arrow a little teeny bit higher. Now put your thumb right here, no, almost, right there, don't move. And now you breathe in, and when you breathe out, release these fingers." Hawkeye touched the boy's thin fingers.

"Now when you release, hold your arms mega still like a statue. Yep, so whenever you are ready, breathe in, and release as you breathe out."

The arrow zoomed by, and missed the outside of the target. It hit a large tree with a loud thump. Clint smiled as Reed began to re-notch the bow.

"We have all day bud, come on, let's hit that bull's-eye."

B-R-E-A-K-Y-T-H-I-N-G-T-H-A-T-S-E-P-E-R-A-T-E-S- A- T-I-M-E-P-E-R-I-O-D-!

It was an hour and a half later, and Reed's fingers were sore.

_ One more try, and I know I'll hit the center, just one more._

"Come on Reed, you can do this!" Clint said as Reed notched the arrow with ease. He was getting quite good, and not only that, but the hour had been filled with laughs. Reed really was funny. And he had even asked that Clint tell him about when he was in the circus. This surprised Clint; he didn't think many people knew about that, but he recalled a story anyways.

Just as Reed released the arrow, Clint knew it was good. It hit the target with a clobber, just millimeters from dead center. Clint cheered, and Reed gave the biggest smile known to mankind. What he didn't see was who was standing behind him, clapping.

"Reed, did you just do that!?" Those words came from a little girl standing with a basket of stuffed animals right behind Reed. She had short brown hair, and amazing brown eyes. It was Bella. Reed seemed out of words, so Clint intervened.

"Yes he did. He's really good at archery. You're Bella?" the girl nodded.

"I was just going to go to my tree house, and wanted to know if Reed wanted to come, but I'd much rather watch this."

"No, I'll come to your tree house, my fingers are a bit sore anyway." He put his bow away, and gave Clint a quick hug. "I'm sorry I have to leave, but Bella wants me."

"All good bro. I got to get back to S.H.I.E.L.D, or my boss will get mad at me. Don't worry, I might stop by again soon, to make sure you have been practicing. And maybe someday, you can fight with me, but when you are older of course."

Reed gave a giant smile, happy at how the day had turned out. Best day ever. But then it changed. Bella smiled, kissed Reed on the cheek, and pulled him along. Clint smiled as Reed looked dumbfounded, and rubbed the spot where her lips touched. Bella laughed, and pulled him through the forest. He was wrong. Bestest day ever.

That night, two males shot arrows at targets. One was using an old bow that gave his life purpose, the other a new one that hopefully could give life a better purpose for many new years to come. As both people shot, they both thought about their favorite females in life, their calming objects. But maybe they were even something more than that.

** I know, super-uber cheesy, but oh well. Sorry it took me so long to update, lots of schoolwork, and my Internet was cut off for so long! Don't worry, I'll make up for it, I promise. Only, I'm going on a trip for school, so maybe you'll have to wait a bit longer. DON'T WORRY; I'LL MAKE UP FOR IT SOMEHOW! BTW- I've only done archery once, so please excuse any inaccuracies. Please leave a review and make me happy, you guys are really the bestest ever!For all you Hunger Games fans, I'm working on a Hunger Games one- shot with Haymitch/ others, so check it out!**


	14. Bruce and Brendan

** You all are just the best! Don't worry, after this I'll have an epilogue, then that's the end. I cannot express how happy 'yall make me! So here's your chapter, cause you don't want to hear me ranting.**

** Disclaimer- Insert a hilarious disclaimer here that makes you laugh you head off :) **

** Chapter 14- Bruce and Brendan**

Brendan came home off of the school bus, and walked up the stairs to his room. When he walked in, he slammed his door as hard as possible, making the room rattle. Today had been the worst day ever, even if he had told himself that everyday. He collapsed into the chair next to his desk, and stared at the wall for a while to calm down. Posters of molecules, equations, formulas, and everything sciencey littered the walls of his room.

He grabbed a worn tennis ball off of his desk, and began throwing it against the opposite wall, very hardly. The new meds the doctors were making him take made him quite restless, and he hated it. Today when he went to the high school across from the middle school for science class, he kept on fidgeting in his seat, something his terrible teacher, Mrs. Larrod, did not approve of. Again, she had turned down an idea of his in his large blue notebook, which was now lying on his desk.

He opened it, and flipped through the pages. His tiny, messy scrawl filled many of the pages, which, if one looked close enough, was filled with a higher intellect than a high school student. He stared at the beloved notebook, and then threw it across the room, where it fell in a heap next to his bed.

_I'm such an idiot. None of these things are physically possible. Mrs. Larrod is right. Urgg, I wish I was just normal, I wish I wasn't in high school science; actually, I wish I was stupid. _

He went downstairs to the kitchen, but then out the door and into the street. Walking to the mailbox and pulling out the key, he slid it into the slot, and turned it. He pulled out the mail, locked the box, and slowly walked back to his house, sorting through the mail. Bills, bills, newspaper, bills, his monthly National Geographic- his favorite, bills, and… He stopped walking completely. There was an envelope with his name on it, but it was from Avengers Tower. _The _Avengers Tower.

Clutching the mail to his chest, he sprinted back home, threw the bills and newspaper on the counter, and raced upstairs to his desk. Sitting in the chair, trying to calm himself, he opened the envelope carefully. It contained a small slip of paper.

_**Wanna talk to Bruce? Skype him at 6:15,tonight, your time. Skype name- GammaGeek123, cheesy, huh? Oh well, at least it fits him. **_

_** -TS**_

_ TS? Oh, duh, Tony Stark! So I'm actually, gonna, like, talk to Bruce Banner through video chat? Ok, maybe this isn't the worst day ever. _

Brendan glanced at the clock. It was only 4:15, but he put his new laptop on his desk, then went outside to play a bit of basketball. Ok, maybe more than a bit.

- **TIME -CHANGE -BREAK -THINGY -**

He walked inside panting from all the basketball he had been playing. He grabbed a glass of water and stared at the clock while gulping down the liquid. It was 6:10, so he raced upstairs past his parents and opened the laptop, signing into Skype. He twirled around in his chair impatiently, his medicine kicking in. He hated feeling restlessness.

Suddenly, a bleep emitted from his laptop, and he stopped spinning in his comfy chair. A green dot appeared next to _GammaGeek123_, so Brendan clicked it. Within a moment, Bruce Banner's smiling face appeared on the screen, and soon Brendan was smiling, his idol was on the screen!

"Brendan, right?" Bruce asked.

"Yea," Brendan replied, smiling.

"Well," Bruce said, "I know you got a whole notebook of ideas, and while we can't use equipment at the moment considering you are in Kentucky and I'm in Manhattan, I bet we could come up with some equations to test your theories. Wanna do some science?"

Brendan nodded eagerly, and pulled out the worn notebook. "Let's do some science."

** After** _**Many**_** Sciency Conversations and Much laughter later-**

"Finally, we come to your previous idea about gamma rays and cancer," Bruce said, looking at the letter mentioning it, "Explain." This child was really surprising him, and reminded him a bit of himself when he was younger.

"Well," Brendan flipped to the largest section in his notebook, most of the pages filled on the theory, " You said that when you are the Hulk, your injuries are repaired for the most part, right?"

"Well, mostly. My cells regenerate, but sometimes rather slowly depending on the type of injury." Bruce usually did not like to talk about this stuff, and rarely did even with Tony, but he felt rather comfortable with Brendan, who wouldn't judge him. He had already shown Bruce that he cared for the person behind the beast, the awkward scientist who had a witty sense of humor. No one would ever understand how much that meant to Bruce, who sometimes got low, and needed to be reminded that he was still human, and not a monster.

"Ok, so according to my research, a study of Rothkamm and Lobrich has shown that this repair process works well after high-dose exposure but is much slower in the case of a low-dose exposure. The only problem is we are not sure how much will be too much." Brendan said, biting his lip.

"That's for sure, we don't need a ton of cancer patients turned in more Hulks," Bruce said with a chuckle.

"Right. Despite their cancer-causing properties, gamma rays may also be used to treat some types of cancer, since the rays kill cancer cells. So maybe it would work on external cancerous growths such as skin cancer, but maybe just not internal."

"The only problem is, if it is only applied externally, again, we don't know how much is too much, and it might not be rid of completely." Bruce said, thinking hard. Cancer was a tricky subject science wise, because the disease was so unpredictable. "However, let's use an example. So if someone had lung cancer, which is obviously internal, we can't inject gamma rays, they can't exactly be bottled up."

"Wait, Dr. Banner, isn't your blood radio-active?"

"You can call me Bruce, and yes it is. So if it was injected into blood, it might work, but it might also slowly kill some people. The Hulk protects me from that, but I think it would affect most people. The only problem is, for example, if I cut myself, I have to dispose of the blood extremely carefully, because just the rays radiating off of it could affect other people. It was kinda like the Tesseract, I could track it solely off of its rays."

"So having it people's blood is a positive no?"

"With our knowledge of it now, yes. With more research, rather than expose people to the rays, it might be possible to splice cells and insert the mass amounts of electrons and protons, so as to insert the atomic structure. I'll research it in the lab and email you on my progress."

There was a shout from downstairs. "Brendan, you have been on the computer long enough, so finish up!"

"Am I to guess that was your mother?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I guess it's time to say goodbye, but you have my email address, it's the same as my Skype. You really are a smart kid, a lot smarter that me."

"No way, you are the best scientist ever! I want to be like you when I grow up! But I have to go, bye."

"Bye," Bruce said with a smile as the screen flickered off. Wow.

That night, two people sat in bed awake, thinking about science, gamma rays, atoms, and everything else. One thanked science for allowing him to meet his hero, the other allowing him to find a purpose to live his life.

**How was it, one more chapter guys, just stick with me! Please Review!**


	15. Epilogue

** Thank you to every single soul who read, alerted, faved, or reviewed! You guys make me so happy; you gave me the strength and confidence to write I never had. And guess who, on September 25****th****, 2012, the day it came out, bought the Avengers on Blu-ray! Me! I loved all the deleted scenes, but most of all, all the gag reels, those were so funny they knocked me off of my feet! I'll stop rambling, and here is the FINAL chapter to Dear Avengers.**

** Chapter 15- Epilogue**

That week, all of the Avengers were changed, in some form or another.

Steve, or Captain America, learned to love the world he lived in now, not the one he lived in seventy years ago. That week, he tried even harder to understand modern technology, even if it meant a couple exploded microwaves and singed eyebrows in the process. It really was such a different world, but maybe not in a negative way. Of course he still missed his friends and the age he had grown up in; that feeling of homesickness would never go away.

And of course he missed Bucky with all of his heart. And Peggy.

It took him a while to realize no matter how hard he tried, he would always miss those things. He remembered when he was real young; his grandfather would be reading through the newspaper, and would slowly shake his head. When Steve asked him why, he would say, "The sad part about being old is not being able to do stuff like football, it's reading through the newspaper and reading that one of your good friends died. And soon, it'll be me."

But he had a new family now. His old friends and family deceased would have a special place in his heart, but now, he had the Avengers. His family. His home.

And for once, Steve liked living now. It took a German boy to teach him that.

Natasha, the Black Widow, let loose a little. She went out with a Pepper Potts a little more often to get hair or nails done. She let Clint see her feminine side. Heck, she even agreed to go on a date with him, not on a mission, but a normal dinner. And you know what, she kinda liked it.

If Amber had taught her anything, it was that life should be enjoyed and optimistic. For some unknown reason, Fury seemed a little more optimistic, just a tad. But that wasn't the point. She could still be the intimidating 'Russian' Black  
Widow, but that didn't mean she had to live life so strictly. Her relationship slightly picked up with Clint a bit, and she realized it was ok to have some emotion, as long as it didn't get in the way of her work.

Amber taught her to let her walls down a little, to show she was only human. And humans had emotions, some too strong to drown out. Even super heroes or assassins needed a break;one person can't do everything. What most people didn't realize is that behind that epic hero, there was a person with weaknesses too. And Amber taught her that.

Tony, aka Iron Man, was changed. First off, being a ' philanthropist', he donated lord knows how much money to charity, and tons to the Paralympics. But he learned something deeper than money could value to.

It wasn't the power that made the hero; it was the person behind the power that made a hero. To Tony, Zack was a hero. Not because he was temporarily paralyzed and all that, but the amazing attitude he took with it. The way he didn't give up, the way he smiled through it all. Tony wasn't that strong. He was just a man in a suit, like what Captain had said. The suit was just about perfect, but now, he had to work from the inside out. He wanted to make him better as a person, not the suit that held him. Because some people could look beyond the iron suit.

He took small steps.

Being with the Avengers really allowed him to do that. Sure, he was still a major bad ass, huge ego party soul, but he learned something from each hero. But, slowly every day, he made himself better, secretly. Maybe one night he didn't drink as much as he would have liked to. Or maybe one night he cancelled a party to go visit Zack. Or maybe, ohmygosh maybe, he even went to church one Sunday with Pepper. But mostly, he learned things from a little eight-year-old boy with a dream.

Thor, also known, as…. well….Thor, couldn't get the idea of Alex's brother abandoning him out of his head. He remembered how Alex told Thor that Loki was still his brother.

So that week, he visited Asgard. He visited Loki.

He simply sat in front of the cell Loki was in and talked. He explained to Loki how sorry he was, how very sorry. He talked ages and ages, while Loki, cover over his mouth, simply sat there. Thor knew he wouldn't be able to reply, but knew the better man would apologize first. He explained everything to Loki, not only how sorry he was, but he recalled times when they were boys and would play together, or would tell Loki what was happening at Avengers Tower. And Loki would sit there, face blank of expression. But Thor saw, once, a flicker of….What was it? Guilt, remorse, sorrow?- He wasn't sure precisely. He just wanted him and Loki to become brothers again, to have things the way they used to be.

And though he would never admit it, Loki loved it when Thor came. It made him feel at home, because in all reality, he missed Thor, he missed his older brother. And he was sorry. But it was too late for that now.

And ever since, Thor visited him once a week, just to be in his company, just to talk. And it was all thanks to a little Midgardian child who taught him family was important, regardless of their actions.

Clint, also known as Hawkeye, learned from a certain little boy that sometimes, you can't be shy; you have to state your opinions loud and clear. That's why he told Nat he loved her. It took him all week to gather up the courage, and right before he told her, he kinda had a mini panic attack. When he told her those three words, it sounded like a crazy blur of nonsense, then he stared rambling about _how if maybe she would like to go to dinner with him but she didn't have to, only if she wanted to, and that it was fine if she said no, and god what am I saying,….. _And she agreed. For once in his life, he smiled, genuinely. It wasn't the smile he gave at a sarcastic comment, but he smiled, for real. And he hugged he as tight as he could without crushing her, not knowing how she was smiling her heart out too.

And suddenly, his life became a lot better. He didn't feel as guilty for all the things he did while under Loki's control. He learned that he really did see better from a distance, but maybe he should take time to notice the smaller things rather than the whole picture. But that suit him just fine. And everyday when he went to the shooting range, he thought of Reed.

Bruce, also known as the Hulk, learned that sometimes it didn't matter what you had done in your past, it mattered what you were going to do in the future. His self-esteem raised a small notch, and he smiled and joked around more.

In the lab, he worked all day and night on the new projects he had discovered with Brendan. Brendan had taught Bruce that it didn't matter what obstacles you had in life, but that you should take them smiling and happily, and maybe a little angrily, even if they were a big green kick butt machine.

For once in his life, Bruce felt accepted, and cared about. The Avengers were the amazing, slightly dysfunctional family he never had as a child, but they surely made up for it, times ten. It felt good. And every once in a while, when he felt a bit low, he decided to talk to his team rather than go off and try to end his life; he would even talk to Brendan at those times. And it was all thanks to a boy with a mind like his.

That week, all of the Avengers were changed for good in some way. And they were just fine with that.

**The End!If you liked the story, please leave your two cents in the review box; also, I'm rolling out with some new stories, so keep your eyes out! Thank you everyone!**


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